As used herein, the term "dispenser" means a dispensing container having a closure which may or may not include a valve, and "container" means a container at the end of the manufacturing operations carried out by the container maker.
We have recently found that a satisfactory container for an aerosol dispenser may be manufactured from various plastics materials such as polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) homopolymers or PET copolymers. Such aerosol dispensers perform well at room temperature and, by proper design and manufacture, meet the industry standard safety requirements. In particular, such dispensers are able to withstand immersion in a water bath, at an elevated temperature which raises the contents of the dispenser to the equilibrium pressure at 50.degree. C., without noticeable distortion. In normal use, such dispensers are entirely safe, even in very hot climates. However, in conditions of abuse, performance is limited by failure of the dispenser at temperatures in the region of about 70.degree. C. At this temperature, the plastics material of the container softens and, in combination with the elevated pressure of the contents, results in distortion of the neck region of the container and slackening of the dispenser closure. Eventually, the dispenser fails catastrophically, with the closure being forcibly ejected from the container.